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Show KERN CONFERS WITH WILSON Never Intended That People Should Pay War Tax on Messages. Washington. Oct. 22. Senator Kern majority leader of tho upper house in congress after a conference at the White House, said today congress would work in complete harmony with the president on the national defense program. As leader of his party and chairman of the caucus, the Indiana senator will have an Important Im-portant part in carrying out the administration's ad-ministration's plans. Leader Kern told the president a caucus would not bo necessary In the senate. "There will be. no disagreement with the president on the general pronosltion of national preparedness," said Senator Kern. "The president does not ask congress to abdicate its functions and accept in all Its details whatever plans the department may submit. The estimates for the army and navy will be roferred to the proper committees and given careful consideration. "Legislation that will follow, in my judgment, will have the cordial ap-nronl ap-nronl of both the executive and the legislative branches of the government govern-ment and will bo. Indorsed by the country. coun-try. Country Misled. "The amount of money asked will not frighten anybody. The country' was misled by exaggerated reports that the administration would introduce intro-duce a billion-dollar program. Tho plan for an increased naval construction construc-tion ot only around 570,000,000 a year over a period of rive years is quite a different matter. There will be oo tiouble on that score, and congress con-gress will be in harmony with the president. "There may be differences of opinion opin-ion with respect to some of the details de-tails Congress may think immediate immedi-ate and extended increase in coast protection of more Importance than some other things that may be rec ommeuded. "I think congress will assume the president has made out a prima facie case. He has been in touch with the situation and has studied it; we have been on vacation. In viow of the general situation I do not consider the amount the president asks con; gross to appropriate as In any sense excessive " Caucus Unnecessary. Senator Kern does not believe a caucus will be necessary, for from iis point of view the national defense -annot be made a party issue. "Eliminating differences of opinion over details," continued the senator. "I do not believe the opposition will be strong enough to make a caucus necessary " When , asked how the money was to be provided. Senator Kern saidl "This question lias not been carefully care-fully inquired Into yet and will Tiot be until congress convenes, but If It Is necessary to issue bonds, why not? Wo paid our of current revenues considerably con-siderably over two hundred millions of dollars on the construction of the Panama canal Instead of issuing th1 bonds the law authorized. If wo should now turn around and use these bonds for the upbuilding of the national na-tional defense and let posterity meet that obligation. I can see no reason to object. Neither do I think congress con-gress would hesitate to issue bondd for this purpose." "What abput the war taxes?" Senator Sen-ator Kern was asked "War taxes alwajs are irritating," he replied. "Some or them should be abolished. The little things that constantly stare persons in the face rile them. It was never intended, for instance, that the one-cent tax on telegrams and the tax on long-dlstanco telephone niessages should be paid by the nubile. In the coming con- ; gress a bill will be Introduced to place both these public utilities under the ; Interstate commerce commission, 1 whero they belong, and compel them I to pay their taxes out of their earnings earn-ings Instead of passing the load to the people. i "Ono thine is assured. The president's pres-ident's program in all ,its essontlals ( will be agreed to by pongress, the ( money will bo provided with which to I carry" it out and the people will not bo laid under any increased burdens of taxation." |